Online and Distance Education Commons^™

Improving Online Teaching Effectiveness Through Reflection And Collaboration, Dee Fabry, Donna Elder

Perspectives In Learning

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of active reflection and collaboration as a method to improve teacher effectiveness in the online environment in higher education. While there is no universally accepted definition of effective teaching for higher education, there is research that supports effective online teaching. These principles, paired with research on active reflection and collaboration, provided a foundation for this case study that resulted in determining that active reflection during teaching improved practice.

Reviewers For Volume 14

Perspectives In Learning

Reviewers for Volume 14

Book Reviews

Perspectives In Learning

Book Reviews

The 4 Cs Of Teaching At-Risk Youth, Jeanine Fittipaldi-Wert, Claire Mowling

Perspectives In Learning

The purpose of this article is to assist educators in creating an environment that is safe and conducive to learning for at-risk students through implementation of the 4 Cs (caring, choices, commitment, and challenges). The 4 Cs can provide a framework for educators in providing suggestions on how to engage and meet the needs of all students, including those at-risk, while creating an emotionally safe environment that facilitates cooperation, responsibility, motivation, and respect for self and others.

About This Issue

Perspectives In Learning

About this Issue

An Analysis Of Factors Expected To Impact Student End-Of-Course Grades In Introductory College Science Classes, Kimberly Shaw, Pinar Gurkas, Zodiac Webster

Perspectives In Learning

Research shows brain-based learning is achieved best when the students are in an active, low-stress state (Jensen, 2008), and people have unique learning styles that facilitate the assimilation of new knowledge (Gardner, 1983). However, current testing practices hinder the creation of an optimal learning environment, because teachers feel they have to build test-taking skills and spend valuable educational time teaching in ways they believe are not best practices. Changes in the brain can be seen with highly sophisticated imaging technology such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI, and positron emission tomography (PET) (Drevets & Raichle, 1998). This imaging technology …

Table Of Contents

Perspectives In Learning

Table of Contents

Editorial Board

Perspectives In Learning

Editorial Board

Reviewers For Volume 13

Perspectives In Learning

Reviewers for Volume 13

Strategies For Success For English As A Second Language (Esl) Students In The Post-Secondary Setting, Tamara Condrey, Sherika Derico

Perspectives In Learning

English as a Second Language (ESL) students in the college setting have a higher rate of attrition than non-ESL students due, in part, to communication barriers. Retention and graduation rates of these students impact cultural diversity in practice settings for professionals who work with diverse populations. Colleges and universities must seek ways to assist ESL students with communication barriers in order to lower the attrition rate for this segment of the population and, ultimately, to improve the diversity needed in these professions. This article seeks to explore communication barriers for ESL students and offer strategies for overcoming these challenges in …

The Impact Of The “Failure Is Not An Option Policy” On Student Grades, Tamara Brown

Perspectives In Learning

Benjamin Bloom, well known for his Bloom’s Taxonomy, coined the term “mastery learning”. Bloom’s process of mastery learning involved initial instruction, assessment, feedback, and corrective instruction. Various researchers demonstrated success with a mastery learning model at the elementary, middle school, high school, and community college levels. Based on the idea of mastery learning, a rural high school developed and implemented a “Failure is not an Option Policy”. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the “Failure is Not an Option Policy” at a rural high school on student grades. The program evaluation found the policy improved …

Measles On The Rise: Academic Institutions Be Prepared, Sally Richter, Amanda Hawkins, Leslie Painter

Perspectives In Learning

Measles is a highly contagious, acute viral illness that can lead to serious complications and death. From January 1 through May 20, 2011, a total of 118 measles cases were reported from 23 states and New York City, the highest reported number for the same period since 1996. Patients ranged in age from 3 months to 68 years. Of the 118 cases, 105 unvaccinated persons were associated with importation from other countries. Transmission occurred in households, child care centers, shelters, schools, emergency departments, and at a large community event. It is important for those in academic institutions to understand measles …

Cultivating An Environment For Continued Growth In Nurse Educators, Amanda Hawkins, Elizabeth Frander, Stephanie Lewis

Perspectives In Learning

Along with the significant shortage of registered nurses, the United States is also experiencing a serious shortage of nursing faculty. Despite the high demand for nurses, many nursing programs are unable to accept all qualified students due to this shortage. This essay identifies reasons why nurse educators are leaving the academic setting and why there are fewer qualified and willing candidates to fill the vacant positions. In addition to discussion of the problem, practical strategies for recruitment and retention are proposed. Through appropriate planning and leadership, there are many practical solutions that can be implemented in the workplace setting to …

About This Issue

Perspectives In Learning

About this Issue

Does Time-Of-Day Of Instruction Impact Class Achievement?, Amanda J. Wile, Gary A. Shouppe

Perspectives In Learning

This article explores literature related to Time-of-Day instruction and possible impact on student achievement for students. The possibility of schools as a contributing factor to the problem of low academic performance by some students due to a conflict between personal chronotype and school schedule may have research significance. In order for learning to take place, student engagement must be paramount and provide optimal opportunities for students to utilize their personal learning, for modalities may hinge on physical readiness as well. Several studies at multiple grade levels related to the investigation of circadian rhythms and biological patterns which indicate an effect …

Table Of Contents

Perspectives In Learning

Table of Contents

Learning About Teaching: Redesigning Teacher Preparation, Barbara Buckner

Perspectives In Learning

Our country has not yet tackled the question, how do we best prepare teachers. Maybe because the question should be; how do we best support our candidates to learn about teaching in order for them to develop into highly qualified and effective teachers? The answer seems to lie in strategic partnerships between universities and school districts, the quality and length of clinical experiences, and state policies for teacher preparation. Reformers call for a shift towards more clinically based programs that integrate academic content and professional knowledge and skills. Some models that show promise are those that have tried to emulate …

Resolving The Conflict: Brain-Based Learning, Best Practices, And No Child Left Behind, Cindy Bowen

Perspectives In Learning

Research shows brain-based learning is achieved best when the students are in an active, low-stress state (Jensen, 2008), and people have unique learning styles that facilitate the assimilation of new knowledge (Gardner, 1983). However, current testing practices hinder the creation of an optimal learning environment, because teachers feel they have to build test-taking skills and spend valuable educational time teaching in ways they believe are not best practices. Changes in the brain can be seen with highly sophisticated imaging technology such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI, and positron emission tomography (PET) (Drevets & Raichle, 1998). This imaging technology …

Editorial Board

Perspectives In Learning

Editorial Board

Facilitating Online Collaboration And The Development Of Digital Communities, S. Wade Bradt, Samantha Tackett

Perspectives In Learning

This discussion focuses on the utility of two unique Web 2.0 tools designed to elicit more interaction among students and to increase learning outcomes while instructing at a distance. While Web 1.0 could be described as that iteration of the World Wide Web that focused simply on making information accessible, the philosophy of Web 2.0 applications is based upon user-centered designs and the proliferation of volunteer collaboration. Fortunately, the explosion of Web 2.0 technologies and social networking platforms have provided a wide array of applications uniquely suited to addressing distance education challenges. We discuss the application of two Web 2.0 …

Managing Childhood Asthma In The School Environment, Amanda Hawkins, Leslie Painter, Sally Richter

Perspectives In Learning

It is often taken for granted that schools are instrumental in the spread of illness from child to child as well as from child to teacher. In addition to the nagging colds, stomach viruses and other temporary maladies, the school environment may actually contribute to some lifelong medical conditions. Many children face an unhealthy school environment on a daily basis, year after year, which may contribute to a condition called asthma. Asthma causes the airways of the lungs to swell and constrict and can often flare up without warning. Asthma is one of the top childhood disorders and is also …

Teaching And Helping College Students With Personal Problems During Tough Economic Times, Marcia Rossi

Perspectives In Learning

The student population today may be facing increased need for support services, due to a wide variety of potential personal problems. Reasons for this include the increased number of students in college who have learning disabilities or other disabilities, the economic downturn of 2008 driving older students to pursue college degrees, and the number of veterans in school who are returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Faculty members and academic advisors may be approached by students who are experiencing personal problems, and may not know how to offer help. Suggestions for helping and teaching such students are offered; these …

Exploring Podcasting Of Required Reading In A Graduate Counseling Course, Richard Long, Dee Fabry

Perspectives In Learning

Podcasting is a relatively unexplored technology tool in education (Hew, 2009). This study explored the integration of podcasting in an onsite graduate counseling course to determine how digital students responded to the integration of podcasting and to determine if podcasting impacts student comprehension of required reading materials. The results indicated that, while students came to class better prepared to discuss the material and enjoyed the podcasts, they preferred traditional teacher-led discussions to the podcasting technology.

Key words: podcasting, technology skills

Winning The War Against Childhood Obesity: The Role Of Teachers And Schools In Early Childhood Education, Paula Walker

Perspectives In Learning

American children are at the epicenter of a global childhood obesity epidemic. Due to increased adiposity, school-aged children are being routinely diagnosed with adult illnesses like Type II diabetes, hypertension, and elevated cholesterol levels. The keys to combating these epidemiological trends are prevention and early intervention. Since the majority of American children are enrolled in school, school-based interventions offer enormous potential in teaching lifelong health habits and curbing the incidence of childhood obesity, especially when these habits are taught proactively as a component of early childhood education. Adiposity rebound is the critical period of increasing body mass index (BMI), that …

Multiple Intelligences: Theory And Application, Hope Phillips

Perspectives In Learning

Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences has challenged the historical view of intelligence as a fixed quantity since he first published Frames of Mind in 1983. Gardner prefers to describe cognitive ability as a set of eight intelligences. Once merely a theoretical perspective, Gardner’s view of intelligence can be seen in a new light with the advances in brain research in the field of neuroscience. The connection between how the mind is organized and the education of students suggests a need for additional classroom teaching and testing applications. A focus on traditional linguistic and logical teaching and testing strategies must …

Using Wimba Live Classroom For Student Engagement At A Distance, Larry Moore

Perspectives In Learning

Synchronous online classes are becoming more common in education. Students are demanding quality educational opportunities outside the traditional classroom that are flexible and engaging. This article explores the virtual learning environment of Wimba Live Classroom that was incorporated into CougarView Vista at Columbus State University. Wimba Live offers the conduit that allows teachers and students to interact in a virtual classroom closely resembling the traditional face-to-face class. Students enrolled in two separate classes were surveyed to ascertain their perceptions concerning the Wimba Live experience. This article discusses the pedagogical, technical and interaction issues related to the Wimba Live classroom, and …

The Teacher’S Role In Enforcing Hand Washing Techniques Among School-Aged Children In The Midst Of The H1n1 Pandemic, Tara Redmond

Perspectives In Learning

The endeavor of increasing health literacy among school-aged children is a vital role for teachers to play during these turbulent times of pandemic viruses. This essay will address the vital role that teachers have in enforcing proper hand washing techniques in the classroom among their students in order to prevent the spread of influenza and other illness within the community. The document will also provide information related to the historical perspective of the influenza virus and findings associated with the history of hand washing as a mechanism to prevent the spread of disease and illness among human populations.

Considerations Regarding Leadership Training In A Tofflerian Era Of Change, Thomas Mccormack, Paul Hackett

Perspectives In Learning

In 1970, sociologist and futurist Alvin Toffler predicted a future characterized by experience and information overload. This overload, said Toffler, would be caused by an exponential increase in the amount of knowledge being produced and our inability to cope with both the volume of information and the rate at which knowledge was being produced. In this article, the authors make the case that we are presently living in a Tofflerian Era that includes constant change in terms of amount of knowledge and the rate at which it is transmitted and collected due to the proliferation of new technologies. In this …

Taking The Lead Role In Intern Supervision: The Mentor Teacher Intern Project, Melissa Sullivan

Perspectives In Learning

Classroom teachers participate in many university teacher education programs as partners in the education of teacher candidates. The Mentor Teacher project was initiated in 2003 to allow teachers a voice in the school internship or student teaching process. This study investigated the strengths and weaknesses of the program through individual interviews and open-ended surveys. The program was perceived as very successful by the Mentor Teachers as they moved into a new level in their profession.

Publish Or Perish: Can Scholarship And Teaching Coexist?, Jan Burcham, Kimberly Shaw

Perspectives In Learning

Faculty at institutions of higher education are experiencing constant requests to increase teaching loads and class sizes while, at the same time, continuing to meet the demands for scholarship and service. The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) can serve as one way in which faculty can simultaneously focus on improving their teaching and their students’ learning as well as meeting the rigorous demands for peer review and publication. The systematic approach of asking questions about one’s teaching, designing and conducting appropriate research methodologies to investigate those questions, analyzing the results, and subjecting the entire process and findings to peer …